Freckle face is a small plant that has colourful spotted leaves. It is fast growing and competes with native plants.
Freckle face is a garden escape that forms dense infestations in the understory of bushland competing with native plants. It has been found in endangered subtropical rainforests.
Freckle face is a perennial herb with distinctive coloured spots of various sizes on its leaves. It grows up to 1 m tall and has small purple flowers from late summer through winter.
Freckle face grows in coastal areas from the north to central coast of NSW. It is also a weed in some suburbs of Sydney.
It is a popular garden plant and indoor pot plant because of its distinctive spotted leaves.
It is native to Madagascar.
Freckle face grows best in warm, shaded areas, with plenty of moisture, but can also tolerate sunny and dry conditions. It grows in forests, woodlands, along waterways and under paddock trees.
Seeds are spread by water, animals and in contaminated soil.
Plants can grow from stems or root fragments which are spread by dumping of garden waste. Mowing or slashing can also spread the plant fragments.
Single plants and small infestations can be controlled by hand pulling plants in damp and loose soil. Plants can be dug out. Remove all of the stem and as much of the root as possible otherwise plants might regrow.
Spot spray using herbicides and a surfactant. Ensure all of the leaves are covered and spray when plants are actively growing.
See Using herbicides for more information.
PERMIT 11916 Expires 31/03/2025
Glyphosate 360 g/L
(Various products)
Rate: 1 part product to 100 parts water plus surfactant
Comments: Urban bushland, forests and coastal reserves.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate
The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the Biosecurity Act 2015 and its subordinate legislation, and the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (published by each Local Land Services region in NSW). It describes the state and regional priorities for weeds in New South Wales, Australia.
Area | Duty |
---|---|
All of NSW | General Biosecurity Duty All pest plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable. |
Reviewed 2021